Secrets
by Maximum Ride 000
Summary: This fic was requested of me a long time ago and I have just now managed to upload it.  It's a ShunsuixNanao songfic to Secrets by oneRepublic.  Contains spoilers through Aizen.  Enjoy


**Let me begin my three part apology by saying that you are all wonderful people. **

**Movie references aside, I would like to extend my personal apology to everyone for how long it took me to get this story published. I would also like to offer my sincerest apologies to ****TheBeginingsEnd**** who requested this story several months ago and has patiently waited since. **

**Now for the explanation. I typed this story a while back but before I could publish my computer shut down. "That's odd", I thought to myself, "I don't remember pressing the on/off button". I turned my computer on again only to have it immediately shut down on me. I took it to Best Buy where I was informed that my computer had a faulty motherboard and the only way to fix it was to send my laptop to the manufacturer. I grudgingly agreed to ship my poor laptop off for what (I was told) would only be a couple of weeks. Four and a half weeks later I was beginning to think I was never going to get my laptop back. Then, my phone rang! "Could it be?" I asked in awe. Sure enough, it was Best Buy calling to inform me that my laptop was ready for pick up at my earliest convenience. I will admit that I may have broken a few speed limits trying to get to Best Buy. I brought my laptop home for the first time in months, determined to publish this story, only to find out that half of my C drive had been erased. And it wasn't the half of my C drive that had useless school work on it that was erased, it was my entire fanfiction folder. This story included. On a side note, my fanfiction folder actually took up half my C drive. After several weeks of argument with both Best Buy and Sony I managed to get my fanfiction folder put back on my C drive.**

**So without further ado, I present Secrets**

**Disclaimer: I had to fight for custody for half of my C drive, do you really think I own Bleach? I also don't own Secrets (that belongs to one republic). Lyrics are from lyricsmode(dot)com.**

**~Maximum Ride 000**

_I need another story_

_Something to get off my chest_

_My life gets kinda boring_

_Need something that I can confess_

The months since Aizen's betrayal had been tough for the soul reapers. He had done a lot of damage both physically, to the land around him, and to the already paper thin trust that ran through the court of souls. Regardless of how they felt about him, each shinigami was devastated by Aizen's betrayal. Many of the captains shuddered to think that they had allowed themselves to become so complacent that such a man could slip past their supposedly highly honed senses. Some shinigami blamed themselves for what happened while others blamed their fellow shinigami. No matter who was blamed, one thing remained constant; there was very little trust in Seretei.

_Till all my sleeves are stained red_

_With all the truth that I've said _

_Come by it honestly I swear_

_Thought you saw me wink, no_

_I've been on the brink, so_

In the eighth division the tension was palpable. The normally light hearted and loyal division was rife with distrust and anger. The captain had tried to keep their spirits up, but he soon realized that such attempts were pointless. Shunsui sighed as he continued his musings. It was literally the truth that had destroyed the soul society. Something that he held near and dear to his heart had caused so much pain and suffering. He glanced across the eighth division offices to watch his lieutenant shuffle through the paperwork on her desk. She glanced up when she felt his eyes upon her, but almost immediately looked down, not wanting her captain to see the barely masked pain in her eyes.

_Tell me what you want to hear_

_Something that'll light those years_

_Sick of all the insincere_

_I'm gonna give all my secrets away_

He _had_ seen it though, and this wasn't the first time he'd seen the pain in her eyes. That haunted look in her eyes unsettled him just as much as Aizen's betrayal had. He wanted to bring back the light he saw in her eyes when she watched him work with the troops or the half smile when he finally did his assigned paperwork, anything but the look he saw now. Sure, she would still smile at him when he smiled at her, but it was forced and they both knew it. He was tired of the fear and paranoia, he was going to get his lieutenant back no matter what it took.

_This time_

_Don't need another perfect lie_

_Don't care if critics ever jump in line_

_I'm gonna give all my secrets away_

He stood abruptly, startling his Nanao-chan. "Are you alright sir?"she questioned almost nervously.

He smiled at her calmly, "Not at all", he responded, the smile never leaving his face. She blinked at him, obviously not sure what to make of her captain's odd behavior.

"Then", she began slowly, "What's the matter sir?"

"You've been lying to me Nanao-chan", he said as though he were discussing the recent weather patterns.

Her eyes widened at his statement, "I would never lie to you sir."

"Yes, you've been lying to me for some time now", he continued as though her protest had never been raised, "You see, you smile at me, but I don't think you really mean it."

She almost sighed and rolled her eyes at the so typically Shunsui reasoning.

_My God_

_Amazing that we got this far_

_It's like we're chasing all those stars_

_Driving shiny big black cars_

"Well, sir", she began, "with all that has happened recently it doesn't really seem like a time for happiness and cheer." She hoped that the abrasive response would convince him that this was not a conversation she wanted to have at the moment.

It didn't

If anything his smile grew brighter at her sensible comment. "Don't you see, though, Nanao-chan? With all that's been going on this is the perfect time for happiness and cheer! If all we do is continue to focus on what Aizen did we will never be able to beat him. If we continue to be sad and mope around then he wins."

_And everyday I see the news, all the problems that we could solve_

_And when a situation arises just write it into an album_

_Seen it straight to gold_

_I don't really like my flow, no, so_

She gave him the most skeptical look she could manage but he continued on, "I know that things seem really bleak around here. I see it everyday in the eyes of the troops, but things would get better more quickly if everyone would stop moping around."

_Tell me what you want to hear_

_Something that'll light those years_

_Sick of all the insincere_

_I'm gonna give all my secrets away_

Nanao tried valiantly to come up with a legitimate response, but for once Shunsui's seemingly impromptu speech made a great deal of sense. She blinked at him for a moment or two, uncertain about how the situation should continue. It was the gentle look he gave her that finally caused her to allow a sigh to pass through her lips. The smile she gave him was small but it was the most sincere smile he had seen from her in a long time.

_This time_

_Don't need another perfect lie_

_Don't care if critics ever jump in line_

_I'm gonna give all my secrets away_

He knew that this moment was just the beginning, he knew that it would take months before his Nanao-chan was back to her old self, and years until Seretei was back to the way it was, but at that moment, he decided that, for now at least, that little smile was more than enough.

_Oh, got no reason, got no shame_

_Got no family I can blame_

_Just don't let me disappear _

_I'mma tell you everything_

"I suppose you're right sir", she acquiesced finally, "Maybe, instead of blaming each other for everything we should start trying to fix things", the statement seemed a little clichéd to her, but given the situation it seemed appropriate. His smile brightened again, he knew she was a quick learner and an amazing shinigami. Things would go back to normal; they just needed a little more time. He sat calmly on the other side of the desk, taking a portion, albeit a small portion, of Nanao's paperwork, "I love you my precious little Nanao-chan!" he exclaimed in his usual almost teasing and flamboyant voice. His response came in the form of Nanao's trademark ledger colliding with the side of his skull. He smiled through the pain knowing that, someday, she would be able to say that she loved him too, she just needed a little more time.

_All my secrets away_

She went back to her paperwork but the smile stayed firmly lodged on her face. Maybe she never actually said it, but she knew that Shunsui was well aware that too loved him. No matter how hard she tried she could never keep a secret from the man she loved.

_All my secrets away_

**Well, there you have it. I sincerely hope that you enjoyed this story. I apologize for an OOCness that may have occurred in the course of this story. Thank you for taking the time to read this story and now comes the part where I kindly ask you to review this story. So, please review this story. I hope to have more stories up soon now that I have my computer back.**

**~Maximum Ride 000**


End file.
